Chant the Mantra

I think the Husky Nation could use a pep talk.

Upsets do happen, in fact almost every week we are surprised, and elated when an Arkansas knocks off an Auburn, or a Wake Forest beat a Florida State...once again upsets happen. Why not this week in Berkeley?

Have you ever thought that maybe we have the Bear's where we want them?

They are at home, thinking about nothing but USC...that's right the Bear's are completely pointed to that game they think that will decide the Pac Ten championship in November. They think Washington will be a cakewalk without Isaiah in the lineup. Washington is just another bump in the road to these guys. Right there is the essence that makes college football great each week and superior to the pro game. Let downs happen, and California could be looking past Washington. Let's go another step further, and that is they are definitely not taking UW seriously.

Washington is in the same position that Oregon State was last week. They have been pushed to the edge. There is no margin for error, and every player on the team knows that they need to pull together tightly to save the season. That kind of neccesity works wonders! Cal on the other hand is thinking of USC, the Rose Bowl, and the BCS, and probably not taking Washington as a serious threat. Why should they, without IS, they saw on film what happened, our offense did not move even though OSU was more than generous in giving us an opportunity. They know how they have just beaten us terribly three years n a row, don't you think that breeds some over confidence?

(On a side note I think Washington fell into the same trap against Oregon St last week, and the underdog everyone had written off won and is now on track to salvaging their season.)

The truth of the matter is that program insiders feel that Carl Bonnell is going to do just fine in the closing weeks of the season. I saw him play in person in the second half against Notre Dame, and it was obvious if Gilby had started him it would have been a much better game. Carl can play, and if he stays healthy he has the ability to lead Washington to a bowl game this year. I sat with Bill Fleenor much of that second half of that game and we debated the future of the program, was it lack of talent, coaching? In hindsight it was both. Washington may not have the talent level where they want it this week, but coaching and motivation are no longer the problem.

Ty's biggest challenge this week is convincing these guys they can still win out....that's right they aren't going to be talking two wins, they are going to be talking about winning out the rest of the season as a tribute to their fallen comrade who left it all out on the field. Ty and his staff are up to the task as proven by starting 4-1 against teams with probably for the most part a higher talent level.

Washington can beat California on Saturday. The stars are aligned for an upset over the very confident Bear's who probably consider this just another bye week. I am telling you the Bear's are ripe if we take advantage of it and come out and play some smash mouth football.

College football is all about emotion, and that is why it is so much better than the pro game and it's regulated parity. College football is about fight songs, tradition, a wisp of smoke in the Fall air, and the beauty of the weekly upset when the underdog catches the favorite looking ahead to bigger things.

Chant the mantra...."Washington Will Upset California"